Christmas 2013 Haul

Hope you all have been having an exceptionally stellar holiday season.  For the few years that I've had my YouTube channel, I've always told myself that I would stray away from filming and/or posting things I got for Christmas.  However, I somehow felt inclined to do so this year, so I did.  Along with this post, there is a video I filmed on my YouTube Channel (click here to view) where I generally go over the things I got.  There may be more in depth reviews to come on specific things in the future.  As I get older, the more grateful I am for the fact that I still get gifts at Christmastime from people, although I'm convinced I'm far too old to still be getting them.  Please don't feel offended or think that I'm bragging by sharing these things with you all.  I would be very delighted if you all shared some things you got for Christmas down in the comments, or something you particularly enjoyed this holiday season.  Also, let me know if you're interested in me doing a review on any of the items I got.  All photos taken by me.  =]

Le Pliage Large Tote in Slate by Longchamp

 Silver Stainless Steel Watch by Emporio Armani

 Bracelet by Isabel Marant pour H&M

 Fragrances I got for Christmas: Fame Black Fluid by Lady Gaga, Our Moment by One Direction, The Beat by Burberry

 Nintendo 3DS XL in Blue + Games: Pokemon X, Super Mario 3D Land

Sigmax Face Brushes by Sigma

Sephora VIB Sale Haul 2013

It's that time of year again!  I can honestly say that I've taken part in the Sephora "holiday" type of sale for the past 4 years, and did not stray away from doing so again this year.  However, for the past 2 years I have been classified as what is known as a "VIB", which means "Very Important Beauty Insider"...which I think is pretty cool.  Although, that means that I've been spending increasing amounts at Sephora as the years have progressed (don't tell my boyfriend).  For those of you who don't know, the Beauty Insider program at Sephora is a point-based rewards system that gives you 1 point for every dollar you spend there, which can accumulate and later be redeemed for "Point Perks," which are deluxe samples and sets of products that are offered in the store.  Being that I have been part of this rewards program for some time, I have been promoted to the classification VIB, that enables me to participate in cool events, get notified of new product releases, and most importantly getting 20% off all merchandise during the VIB (holiday) sale.

In past years, Sephora had the holiday sale open to pretty much everyone, and offered higher discounts to those who were regular Beauty Insider members as well as VIBs (who I believe had a greater discount).  Though in the past few years, the sale has been almost exclusively set for Beauty Insiders and VIBs, to which coupons were sent out to those people along with another one to be given to the person of their choice (who doesn't have to be a Beauty Insider member).  This year, I was glad to get my 20% off coupon in the mail that was able to be redeemed as many times as I wanted from November 7th through the 11th, along with an additional one that I was able offer to those I decided to share it with.  However, this year's coupon for the person of your choice had to be redeemed with the VIB present, which in turn meant that I made multiple trips to Sephora over the past few days in order for all my loved ones to get the discount.

I had a general game plan for the sale this year, as I typically do for shopping types of endeavors, so I made it a point to make a list of items I would like, so I was able to devise how much it was I intended to spend.  Despite my clever planning, however, I ended up getting loads of other things much different from what I originally planned, mostly because the things I originally wanted had already sold out.  Nonetheless, I seemingly ended up picking up lots more than I intended to just because I had a few gifts to purchase for others, even though the bulk of it was for me.  If you participated in this sale, I would love to know in the comments what you picked up.  Also, be sure to watch my haul video that I'll try to have up soon, where I'll go over each of the items I picked up (I'll embed the video in this post as soon as I get that video out).  Below I took some photos of my purchases from this sale...I did my best to number them, so that all the items can be identified.  I linked off as many as possible of the items in the photo key located below the last photo (the one with the numbers).  All photos taken by me.  =]

1.) VIB Lips Totes

2.) Fresh Soy Face Exfoliant

3.) Lancome Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover

4.) Shiseido Ibuki Ready For Anything Skin Set

5.) Bite Beauty Best Bite Set

6.) BECCA Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector

7.) BECCA Ever-Matte Shine Proof Foundation in Amber

8.) Sephora Collection Technicolor Tinsel Eyelash Curler

9.) Skincare Samples by Amore Pacific

10.) Anna Sui Flight of Fancy Rollerball

11.) Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer SPF 15

12.) Urban Decay Urban Essentials Deluxe Sample Set (Beauty Insider Point Perk)

13.) VIB Savings Cards & Lookbook of Gift Ideas

Mani(c) Monday - November 4, 2013 (Late Post)

Hey everyone! It's been a while since I've posted anything here...and I really shouldn't have an excuse for not posting my nail posts at the very least since I have been consistent in taking them as I've changed out my polish.  I feel like I'm always having to start my posts with an explanation or a rant of excuses, which is largely my own causing in the first place, due to my lack of involvement in actively posting.  All I can do is say that I will post when I am good and ready to do so...not gonna make any more promises regarding that.

Anyway, back to the post...

What I have on my nails this time around is a combo of Blank Slate by Sonia Kashuk as the base color, and Clearly Spotted by Maybelline over as a sort of glitter top coat.  I am infectiously in love with this nail combination, mostly because it looks as though I have taken the time to do a splatter effect nail art detail to my nails, even though it is just glitter.  I love the cool undertone of the grey in the Black Slate shade by Sonia Kashuk, that beautifully compliments the multi sized and faceted glitter in the Clearly Spotted glitter top coat by Maybelline to create a stunning monochromatic look.  I think I will definitely be experimenting with this glitter top coat with other shades and finishes as the base color to be worn though the fall and winter season.  All photos taken by me.  =]

Blank Slate by Sonia Kashuk + Clearly Spotted by Maybelline

HFM - Outfit: Hawaii Fashion Designers Market

As some of you may know, Hawaii Fashion Month is a week under way, and several festivities have already taken place as far as events associated with it are concerned.  I was able to both assist with and attend Outfit: Hawaii Fashion Designers Market on behalf of the First Lady The Movement street team.  The event was held on both the 2nd and 3rd of October in the bottom warehouse space of TJ Maxx in Ward (Kakaako).  This event posed an amazing opportunity for up & coming and established local designers, to showcase their creations to the fashion community and bring exposure to the public.  There were an abundance of local creative talent that displayed pieces they have crafted, ranging from clothing, to swimwear, jewelry & accessories, and artwork.

Aside from the vendor type of booths that were being exhibited, there were also displayed installations of established local businesses such as Hilo Hattie, Reyn Spooner, and Goodwill Hawaii, that really exemplify who they are in a way that was visually stunning.  Other visual installations that were displayed were features of local fashion designers, some of which are recent graduates of the University of Hawaii system of programs.  Along with the stationary visual displays, there were also fashion shows that went on during the course of the event, as well as do-it-yourself activities held in the Hifi (Hawaii Fashion Incubator) Lounge run by Art & Flea Hawaii.  All in all, I found this event to be successful, and a great culmination of creativity in the local community.  I'll be attending a few more events for Hawaii Fashion Month, so be sure to check out my posts on those sometime soon.  Below are pictures from the Outfit Hawaii event, most of which were taken by me (except the one I'm in, of course).  =]

For more information about the event, check out:

http://outfithawaii.com/

View from outside of Outfit Hawaii Fashion Designers Market.

Maryrose a.k.a. "Maryberry" and I at the registration table outside, volunteering for First Lady The Movement.

The stage/runway in the center of the event.

Side view of the stage/runway.

End of the runway, where the models posed during the fashion show.

The Hifi (Hawaii Fashion Incubator) Lounge, where DIY projects run by Art & Flea Hawaii were happening.

 At the Hifi Lounge, you could decorate canvas tote bags, and make bracelets.

Local fashion designer Allison Isu's booth.

Local jewelry designer Panacea Designs booth.

Local jewelry designer Mango Luxe's booth.

Installation of garments by up & coming local fashion designers.

Installation of garments by up & coming local fashion designers.

Display by Hilo Hattie, with the HUGE aloha shirt in the background (I think it was sized as 400 XL).

Display by Reyn Spooner and Goodwill Hawaii.

Metal & Rust

Hooray!!!  What can I say, I'm excited by the fact that it is officially fall, which is by far my favorite season in terms of wardrobe.  I love all the deep jewel toned shades, the elements of black, incorporation of leather, and all those other facets that make dressing for fall so fantastic.  In this look, I went with an incorporation of metallic, black, and cognac that primarily worked around the textured metallic top I got from Bamboo Sky.  Other elements of this look that really pulled everything together were the beautiful coated crystal bib necklace by Mixe Medium, the rust colored shorts by Rag & Bone, and my Alexander Wang Rocco bag.  I will be sure to get more fall related outfit and beauty posts as well as videos up in the very near future.  All photos taken by Taylor Miyashiro.  =]

Outfit Details: Textured gunmetal and black top from Bamboo Sky, rust colored cut off frayed shorts by Rag & Bone, Bag: Rocco Mini Duffel in black lambskin with black nickel hardware by Alexander Wang, Shoes: Areas boot by Jeffrey Campbell.  See other photos for accessory details.

Coated crystal bib necklace by Mixe Medium, silver stainless steel armor ring by L'Mond, tan claw wrap around leather bracelet by Kara New York, silver stainless steel mesh band watch by Skagen, gunmetal and black aviator sunglasses by Marc by Marc Jacobs (not shown in this picture).

Foodie Friday: Godmother Pasta (Shirokiya)

Insight and photo by Rowena Salanga, words by me.

A little intro...

I definitely wanted to venture into new areas in terms of variation in what I post here, so I asked my dear cousin, Rowena, to share some of her food adventures every Friday, that will now be known as "Foodie Friday."  These posts will consist of a culmination of both food that was made in her kitchen, as well as food ordered out at eateries here on Oahu.  Let's face it, we all love to look at food at least on occasion, so I thought it would break up the monotony of my style and beauty posts.  Be sure to let me know if you all like these posts down in the comments, and if there are any specifics you'd like me to address in future Foodie Friday posts.

...and on to the actual post:

This Foodie Friday we bring you the Neapolitan and the Teri Chicken Pasta from Godmother Pasta, which is located on the 3rd floor of Shirokiya at Ala Moana Shopping Center.  Godmother Pasta's food is a fusion of Japanese and Italian food, that is reflected in all the dishes they have to offer.  Rowena has eaten there a total of 7 times so far, which can attest to the overall quality of the food they have available.  For being a take out type of food establishment, the dishes come plated beautifully and presented in a way one would expect from a more sophisticated place.  Godmother Pasta definitely provides a selection of dishes that don't seem to be very commonly available at other restaurants or food establishments, especially since the food (or at least the pasta as far as I'm concerned) is gluten free.

For more great food related photos, check out Rowena's Instagram -> here
and here: http://instagram.com/roweeena

For reviews of Godmother Pasta on Yelp, check them out -> here
and here: http://www.yelp.com/biz/godmother-honolulu-2#query:godmother%20pasta

The Neapolitan and Teri Chicken Pasta from Godmother Pasta.

Beauty: My Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler

As many people know, the Shu Uemura eyelash curler is iconic in the world of beauty, and deemed as being among the elite as far as beauty tools are concerned, especially in the realm of eyelash curlers.  Being the beauty crazed person I am, I felt the absolute and utmost need to have one of these illustrious beauty tools in my life, despite the luxury price.  For those of you who aren't familiar, the Shu Uemura eyelash curler retails for about $20, and is now incredibly rare to find in retailers in the United States, as it is no longer being distributed through them.  Such retailers as Sephora, carried this tool up until a couple years ago, which is when I picked up the one that I still have (and use) to this day.  Technically, the protocol for eyelash curlers is that they are to be replaced every 6 months, or at least replace the padding in that time frame.  Such was not the case for me, in that I have had mine for about 3 years now, and continue to use it frequently.  However, despite my loyalty to this fantastic tool, I think it is about time to move on and venture to find one to replace it.  I could very well get a new one, since Shu Uemura products are available to purchase online, but I want to try something new, so that'll be my mini goal for the next few months.  I heard great things about the MAC eyelash curler, as well as the one by Tweezerman, Shiseido, and Tarte, so those may be worthy of researching and trying out before I make my decision.  Definitely let me know in the comments any suggestions you all may have for the new eyelash curler I should get.  Below is a photo I took of my beloved Shu Uemura eyelash curler, that I may very well keep just for sentimental value.  =]

The Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler

One Fresh Night

Happy Sunday everyone.  I can't tell you all how much I looked forward to the weekend after a pretty hectic, grueling, and stressful week.  I think I may or may not share weekend endeavors on these "Say Something Sunday" posts, but it'll all depend on if there was anything of interest that I did over the weekend.  Anyway, back to this post...yesterday (Saturday) was a pretty fun filled and eventful day, as I planned it out from morning to night.  The day started off pretty dull, in that I just laid around for majority of the morning contemplating my day's activities.  My day didn't really carry on into action until mid afternoon, when I went to stop by the iKandy flagship store, and to Target to kill time before my evening plans (there will definitely be a Target haul sometime soon). Started the night off stopping by the Fresh event hosted by the Valerie Joseph Boutique, which benefits Community Helping Schools, a non-profit organization that gives back to public schools in need.  It was definitely a lively environment that carried a very positive vibe in support of a worthy cause, particularly since it was hosted at a night club (The M at restaurant row to be specific).  After the festivities there, I went to the 1 year anniversary of Honolulu Night Market in Kaka'ako, where it was a bit rainy, which made it unfortunate as it is mostly an outdoor event.  Despite the rain, however, it was still a good time.  I was able to see some wonderful home decor and furnishings by Pad Hawaii, stop by Kira Hawaii, who makes amazing jewelry, and visited Paiko to see some lovely plants and things of that nature. All in all, I'd say it was a good day to night well spent.  Pictures below depict some of the highlights of my Saturday, feel free to leave me comments on how you spent your weekend, and if you have any questions regarding mine.  All photos (except the first one) were taken by me, other photo taken by Ericka Nicole Bueno.

Mani(c) Monday - September 16, 2013 (Late Post)

Better late than never, right?  Nonetheless, I hope y'all can forgive me for yet another late nail post.  I'm getting the impression that I should just rename it so that I would be able to post it on another day...but that would just prolong my laziness.  Therefore, I will try my very best to get these posts up on time ALL the time (fingers crossed).  But aside from all that mess of excuses, back to the nail post.  Here I am wearing Fly by OPI, a beautiful turquoise teal shade that absolutely exudes the essence of summertime.  I figured since there are a couple of weeks left this summer, I can manage to still incorporate some of the elements of it into my wardrobe before completely immersing myself in the beauty that is fall.  All photos taken by me.  =]

Fly by OPI

3.1 Phillip Lim for Target: My Picks

The 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target collection that is being released tomorrow (September 15, 2013), has to be one of the most anticipated Target designer collaboration collections that I have ever come across.  There has been lots of hype building up to the release date, mostly contributed by the heavy press and media coverage showing glimpses of the pieces that are being released.  I have to say, as a fan of Phillip Lim, this collection is very exciting, and the pieces are definitely ones that are covetable.  Based on my personal aesthetic, there are a lot items I would definitely love to add to my wardrobe, particularly the leather motorcycle jackets, as well as the great assortment of bags and color blocked garments that are part of this collection.  This is a substantially large collection, encompassing over 100 pieces that range from menswear, womenswear, shoes, bags, scarves, and loungewear.  Being that this collection has such diversity, it isn't hard for everyone to find something from it that they like, especially when the price range is from under $20 - $300, with most of the bags falling under $50 price range.  However, I do warn you all that although the bags are amazingly gorgeous, they are very affordable for a reason, and that is the fact that they are made of manmade materials and not leather (I figured I'd mention that before anyone thinks otherwise...I'm a pretty firm believer in "you get what you pay for").  Nonetheless, there are fabulous pieces in this collection, and if real leather is what you are in search for, the leather motorcycle jackets fit the bill on that.  Though they are the most expensive items being released, I find the leather jackets are the best investment worthy items from the entire collection, at around $250 for the women's version, and about $300 for the men's version.  This is definitely a Target collection I will not miss, so you can be assured I will be camping out in the parking lot at the crack of dawn tomorrow morning.  Below, I have compiled images of the pieces I was able to find that I would be interested in picking up from the collection, so you can be sure to see a follow up post sharing the items I actually picked up.  If there were pieces you were interested in getting from this collection, I would love if you shared them with me in the comments, so I can keep an eye out for those in case I haven't given them much thought the first time around.  All photos taken from Refinery 29 (I don't own any of them).  =]

My top picks from the 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target collection.

Bag & shoes from the 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target collection that I would like to get.

Clothes from the 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target collection that I would like to get.

What's In My Bag? (Alexander Wang Rocco)

Happy Sunday y'all.  This was actually meant to be posted yesterday (Saturday), but needless to say I kinda forgot.  However, here it is...a much belated post of what is currently lurking in my Alexander Wang Rocco bag a.k.a. "Zippy," which has been my everyday bag for majority of the past year.  Here I have embedded my pretty long video sharing the contents of my bag, as well as a couple of pictures of the bag itself and the items in my bag all laid out.  I will be doing a post as well as a video completely dedicated to the details, contents, and components of this bag, so be sure to check that out as soon as I get that up for you all (hopefully in the next few days).  I will probably be editing this post in the near future, so I can put numbers on the items from inside my bag, that way they can be identified in case you were wondering what they are and what not.  But for now, you'll just be able to look at them.  All photos and video taken by me.  =]

 Alexander Wang Rocco Mini Duffel Bag in Black Lambskin with Black Nickel Hardware

Contents of my bag (will edit to add more details soon).

Summer Safari

Even though summer is coming to an end, it is always appropriate to dress for warmer weather here in Hawaii.  I really wanted to end off summer sort of transitioning my wardrobe with subtle elements for fall, which is what I aimed to do with this look.  For this outfit, I paired a basic white tank with these fantastic black & white geometric printed shorts that I scored from Old Navy, and just built it up from there.  Even though it was warm outside, the fact that my outfit was layered didn't seem too bothersome, as they were not heavy layers.  Elements that I feel really pulled this look together were my vintage DKNY blazer, the woven fedora I got from Old Navy, and my Alexander Wang Rocco bag.  Fall is surely approaching, and I can't wait to start dressing for that season.  All photos taken by Reisha Sakauye.  =]

Outfit Details: Basic white tank top by American Apparel, vintage black wool blazer by DKNY, black and white tribal printed shorts by Old Navy, woven fedora by Old Navy.  Shoes (not shown): black leather loafers by Calvin Klein.  See other photos for accessory details.

 Silver stainless steel armor ring by L'mond, raw crystal necklace by Mixe Medium, triangle pendant necklace from Forever 21, silver stainless steel mesh band watch by Skagen, Arena Giant leather bracelet in Latte by Balenciaga.

Bag: Rocco mini duffel in black lambskin with black nickel hardware by Alexander Wang, geometric buckle black leather belt by Ralph Lauren Black Label.